


it's new york, baby, always jacked up

by bellawritess



Series: lashton prompts [5]
Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Humor, M/M, Meet-Cute, Mentions of alcohol, New York City, Pre-Slash, ashton is vibing? i guess, luke works in a bar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-25
Updated: 2020-06-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:09:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27708130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bellawritess/pseuds/bellawritess
Summary: Okay, maybe Luke’s a hypocrite, but he doesn’t see why anyone would willingly be out and about right now, especially not in New York City. This isNew York City.There’s, like, a lot of crime here. Or so Luke’s been led to believe.
Relationships: Luke Hemmings/Ashton Irwin
Series: lashton prompts [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2026498
Kudos: 4





	it's new york, baby, always jacked up

**Author's Note:**

> **prompt:** “it’s two in the morning, why are you on a run right now, you live in the city, this is not safe”
> 
> [tumblr link!](https://clumsyclifford.tumblr.com/post/621873630067998721/i-adore-your-writing-and-the-prompts-sound-so-fun)
> 
> title from kiwi by harry styles (partially bc i was listening to it when i first drafted this LMAO)
> 
> tw for brief references to alcohol

Okay, maybe Luke’s a hypocrite, but he doesn’t see why anyone would willingly be out and about right now, especially not in New York City. This is _New York City_. There’s, like, a lot of crime here. Or so Luke’s been led to believe.

Anyway, it’s not like Luke _chose_ to schedule himself and Michael on the graveyard shift at the bar. He’s new, and Michael is a self-declared nocturnal creature, so they’ve been given the one-to-three-a.m. shift, with Michael “showing him the ropes,” more or less.

Mostly it’s just been Michael fucking around on his phone, because there are literally no customers. 

At around two in the morning, Michael asks Luke to take the trash out. Luke obliges because he’s new, and also for the chance to get some fresh air. He brings the trash bag out to the dumpster, and as he’s coming back around the front of the bar, he trips over his own shoelaces because he’s a _fucking moron_ and goes sprawling across the pavement.

Luke takes a moment to reflect that this is his life, and he should be used to it by now, and at least it’s 2am so nobody’s seen him completely wipe out. Then somebody taps on his shoulder and says, “Hey, are you okay?”

Luke scrambles backwards, because this is New York City, and he’s pretty much conditioned to fear anyone who speaks to him, especially when it’s the middle of the night. He zeroes in on the offender. It’s a guy wearing a bandana, sweaty t-shirt plastered to his front and a concerned expression on his face. He holds a hand out.

Luke tries to consider that this bloke might be mugging him, but ultimately figures he isn’t. If he wanted to mug Luke, he could’ve done it while Luke was prone on the pavement. Luke takes the hand and the sweaty guy pulls him to his feet, deceptively strong. Luke sees the muscles in his forearm contract before he lets go.

“I’m fine,” Luke says, kind of embarrassed now that he’s realized this sweaty guy — probably a runner — is kind of hot, and Luke just tripped on his own feet in front of him. “Sorry about that.” 

“Oh, no worries!” The runner guy smiles brightly. “Sorry if I spooked you.”

“Yeah, that’s okay,” Luke says. “Are you on a run? At two in the morning? In New York City?” The runner nods. “ _Why_? Do you know how much crime there is here?”

“No,” the runner says. “Are you going to mug me?”

“Please,” Luke scoffs. “Look at me, then look at you. Do you think I would even know where to _begin_ mugging you?”

The guy laughs, which is a sound that is far too musical and bright for two in the morning. “Fair enough,” he says. “I should ask you the same question, anyway. What are you doing out and about at this hour?”

“Working,” Luke says. “There.” He points to the bar, whose flickering sign makes it seem a little sketchy. “Graveyard shift.”

“Ah,” the runner says. He runs a hand through his hair, which is greasy with sweat, and Luke shouldn’t find it nearly as attractive as he does. “You’re Aussie?”

Luke blinks. “Oh, yeah,” he says, and then it hits him that this guy is speaking with an Aussie accent. It hadn’t even registered; the only person he’s spoken to in the last hour is Michael, who, bizarrely, is also from Sydney. “Yeah. You’re Aussie too. That’s funny. What are you doing in New York?”

“Working,” the runner says. “What’s your name?”

“Luke.”

“I’m Ashton,” the runner says, and holds out his hand again. This time Luke has to force himself not to trace the lines of muscle with his eyes. He shakes it; Ashton’s handshake is firm and steady. 

“You never answered my question,” Luke realizes. “What are you doing running at two in the morning?” 

The guy shrugs. “Just clearing my head,” he says. “It’s a free country.”

Well, true. “Yeah, but it’s dangerous,” Luke says.

“Which of us wiped out a minute ago?”

“Fuck off,” Luke says, although he grins anyway. He likes that Ashton is making fun of him even though they just met. “At least I’m not on a late-night run through the most dangerous city in America.” That might not be true. Ashton raises an eyebrow.

“You’re the first person who’s stopped me,” he says. “Plus, technically, I stopped myself on your behalf. I’m okay.”

Luke shrugs. “Your funeral. But if you want a drink…” He jerks his chin towards the bar.

Ashton pats his pockets, then apologetically says, “I don’t have any money on me.”

“On the house,” Luke says. “Aussies gotta stick up for each other.”

Ashton seems to consider it; he shifts on his feet, and looks from the entrance of the bar to Luke. “Not tonight,” he says. “Don’t want to lose my momentum. But maybe I’ll come tomorrow. When are you working?”

“Uh,” Luke says. “The same time.”

Ashton grins, eyes crinkling. Even though it’s the middle of the night, Luke gets the strangest feeling of sunlight from Ashton’s smile.

“I’ll be here,” he says, and Luke believes him. “And I won’t be this sweaty,” Ashton adds. “Promise.”

“Looking forward to it,” Luke says. “Stay safe on the rest of your run. Dangerous world out there.”

Ashton laughs as he takes off again, and Luke stands on the pavement and watches until he turns out of sight.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading <3 i'm on tumblr [@clumsyclifford](http://clumsyclifford.tumblr.com/) so come say hey!


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